


Step by Step

by SweetSalt



Category: Figure Skating RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Gen, chat format, excessive amount of emoticons, excessive amount of timestamps, in which beta is easily manipulated into writing by japanese tv programs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-11
Updated: 2017-10-11
Packaged: 2019-01-16 03:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12334896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetSalt/pseuds/SweetSalt
Summary: Recovery is a long climb upward. Sometimes, each step of the staircase is made up of text messages sent at odd hours in the morning.This is one of those times.Written by fieryrondo’s beta. Beta’ed by fieryrondo.





	Step by Step

**Author's Note:**

> My beta! Wrote a fic! Wow! Dare we hope this become a regular thing? ^^
> 
> The title of this fic came from [this feature](http://tinyqueensatoko.tumblr.com/post/166192201258/satokos-segment-step-by-step-on-get-sports). Please watch it for optimal reading experience.
> 
> Edit: Transferred to beta's account on 27/12/17

[12 / 24 03:55pm] Yuzu-kun: fighto satton (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧

[12 / 24 04:01pm] Yuzu-kun: that was beautiful!!!! u r 3 peat national champ for sure m(；∇；)m

[12 / 24 05:22pm] Satoko: That’s very kind of you, Yuzu-kun, but there is still the free.

[12 / 24 05:23pm] Satoko: Also, shouldn’t you be in bed?

[12 / 24 05:30pm] Yuzu-kun: |⁰⊖⁰)

-

[12 / 25 06:54pm] Yuzu-kun: told you so

[12 / 25 07:21pm] Yuzu-kun: the trophy is still bigger than you lol

[12 / 25 09:43pm] Satoko: (｡･･｡)

-

[12 / 29 11:42am] Yuzu-kun: nooooo you guys are doing koi dance w/o me?!?!

[12 / 29 11:43am] Yuzu-kun: (;﹏;)

[12 / 29 09:20pm] Satoko: Please stop watching TV and rest Yuzu-kun.

-

[01 / 01 00:02am] Satoko: Happy New Year ｡^‿^｡

[01 / 01 00:04am] Satoko: I wish you a healthy and fruitful season.

[01 / 01 00:35am] Yuzu-kun: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2 YOU 2

[01 / 01 00:36am] Yuzu-kun: its still new year eve here in toronto tho

[01 / 01 01:02am] Satoko: Σ(ﾟДﾟ；

[01 / 01 02:01am] Yuzu-kun: its the thought that counts

[01 / 01 01:05pm] Yuzu-kun: HAPPY NEW YEAR

[01 / 01 01:06pm] Yuzu-kun: FOR REAL THIS TIME

[01 / 01 01:08pm] Yuzu-kun: I WISH U ALL THE +3 GOE

[01 / 01 07:20pm] Satoko: Thank you, I wish you the same too.

-

[01 / 05 03:38pm] Satoko: How are you feeling?

[01 / 05 10:20pm] Yuzu-kun: much better!!!!

[01 / 05 10:21pm] Yuzu-kun: fever is gone now. back on ice tmr (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧

[01 / 05 10:40pm] Satoko: That’s a relief to hear.

-

[01 / 13 07:30am] Yuzu-kun: HAVE FUN AT STARS ON ICE

[01 / 13 08:54am] Satoko: Thank you Yuzu-kun, I will.

[01 / 13 09:00am] Yuzu-kun: PUT YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO THE KOI DANCE

[01 / 13 09:04am] Satoko: (O∆O)

[01 / 13 09:05am] Satoko: You are too embarrassing!

[01 / 13 09:08am] Yuzu-kun: DO IT FOR ME

-

[02 / 08 08:20am] Yuzu-kun: oh satton

[02 / 08 08:23am] Yuzu-kun: its ok. 4cc isnt everything

[02 / 08 08:24am] Yuzu-kun: I’ll take notes of the rink condition for you (`•ω•´๑)

[02 / 08 09:56pm] Yuzu-kun: …..

-

[02 / 09 00:43am] Yuzu-kun: did this start at gpf?

-

[02 / 12 03:02am] Satoko: How did you know

[02 / 12 03:29am] Yuzu-kun: I saw it in your face

[02 / 12 03:32am] Yuzu-kun: I know what its like to skate in pain

[02 / 12 04:01am] Satoko: Ah.

[02 / 12 04:05am] Yuzu-kun: it wasnt obvious or anything. just a hunch.

[02 / 12 09:00am] Yuzu-kun: get well soon!!!

-

[02 / 22 07:50pm] Satoko: You skated very bravely today Yuzu-kun. Congratulations on scoring above 300.

[02 / 22 08:01pm] Satoko: Please congratulate Mai-chan for me.

-

[02 / 23 00:23am] _Yuzu-kun sent a file._

[02 / 23 09:01am] Satoko: Oh wow! Your note is so thorough.

[02 / 23 12:50pm] Yuzu-kun: (´꒳`)

[02 / 23 12:52pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[02 / 23 12:52pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[02 / 23 12:53pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[02 / 23 12:53pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

-

[02 / 28 08:30pm] Yuzu-kun: kobayashi-san told me youre recovering well

[02 / 28 08:34pm] Yuzu-kun: cant wait to see you at worlds!

[02 / 28 08:41pm] Yuzu-kun: we’ll all fight for japan together (+･`ω･´)

-

[03 / 15 05:30am] Yuzu-kun: satoko?

-

[03 / 16 09:30pm] Yuzu-kun: you know, its ok to take it slow

[03 / 16 09:34pm] Yuzu-kun: worlds is important and all

[03 / 16 09:35pm] Yuzu-kun: but

[03 / 16 09:37pm] Yuzu-kun: your goal is still the olympics

[03 / 16 11:54pm] Satoko: How can I go to the Olympics if I didn’t earn the spot?

-

[03 / 17 03:01am] Yuzu-kun: you’ll earn it at nationals

[03 / 17 03:18am] Yuzu-kun: if you cant go to worlds then dont. there’s no point in earning the spots only to worsen your hip

[03 / 17 03:19am] Yuzu-kun: I’ve read the articles satton

[03 / 17 03:20am] Yuzu-kun: I think your team is right

[03 / 17 03:21am] Satoko: JSF doesn’t think so.

[03 / 17 03:23am] Yuzu-kun: jsf doesn’t see your training every day

[03 / 17 03:56am] Yuzu-kun: it’s one thing to skate in pain at gpf. it’s different at worlds.

[03 / 17 03:59am] Yuzu-kun: worlds is… bigger. everything is bigger there. media. competition. pressure. even the same painkiller feels different.

[03 / 17 08:06am] Yuzu-kun: satoko

[03 / 17 08:10am] Yuzu-kun: I skated a very long four and a half minutes at boston.

-

[03 / 20 09:15am] Satoko: I’m so sorry for making you worry.

[03 / 20 09:32am] Yuzu-kun: don’t be. you did the right thing.

[03 / 20 11:40pm] Satoko: I’m not sure if I did.

-

[03 / 21 02:18am] Yuzu-kun: are you in pain?

[03 / 22 04:45am] Satoko: a bit.

[03 / 22 08:56am] Yuzu-kun: do you want to skate there?

-

[03 / 23 00:07am] Satoko: no.

[03 / 23 00:20am] Yuzu-kun: then you shouldn’t. you should skate when you want to skate, quit when you want to quit.

-

[03 / 26 00:01am] Yuzu-kun: happy birthday satton (＾-＾)

-

[03 / 30 11:00pm] Satoko: Good luck with your short!

[03 / 30 11:31pm] Satoko: You did well, Yuzu-kun. Regardless of how others performed or how judges scored you, you did well.

[03 / 30 11:35pm] Satoko: You can come back from this. You know you can.

-

[04 / 01 04:04am] Yuzu-kun: it’s not your fault.

[04 / 01 04:05am] Yuzu-kun: listen to me, alright? those spots were no longer your responsibility the moment you withdrew. no matter what the media says, it’s not your fault.

-

[04 / 01 08:13pm] Satoko: That was just beautiful.

[04 / 01 08:58pm] Satoko: Congratulations, world champion ٩(^ᴗ^)۶

[04 / 01 11:52pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[04 / 01 11:55pm] Satoko: Told you so.

[04 / 01 11:56pm] Yuzu-kun: ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡

-

[04 / 22 07:10pm] Yuzu-kun: team japan won!!!!

[04 / 22 07:12pm] Yuzu-kun: shoma and the girls did most of the work tho. i flopped orz

[04 / 22 07:21pm] Yuzu-kun: watching the ladies was so tense! you all have to put up no-miss performances consistently, idk how you do it…

[04 / 22 10:37pm] Satoko: I don’t know how either.

-

[04 / 23 08:45am] _Yuzu-kun sent a video clip._

[04 / 23 08:47am] Yuzu-kun: PPAP!!!! Do you remember gpf?

[04 / 23 09:02am] Satoko: How could I not?

[04 / 23 09:12am] Yuzu-kun: do you think i choreographed better than nanami-sensei?

[04 / 23 09:24am] Satoko: …

[04 / 23 09:27am] Yuzu-kun: (;Д;)

-

[04 / 29 10:14am] Satoko: Did you leave the camp early?

[04 / 29 03:45pm] Yuzu-kun: yep! sponsorship things. have fun w/o me!

[04 / 29 03:50pm] Yuzu-kun: oh i didnt get a chance to tell you before, but your new haircut is v cute!

[04 / 29 04:36pm] Satoko: (*^.^*)

[04 / 29 04:38pm] Satoko: But did you get to write your kanji along with everybody else’s?

[04 / 29 04:42pm] Yuzu-kun: yeah i did before i left.

[04 / 29 04:43pm] Yuzu-kun: ‘to soar.’

[04 / 29 04:45pm] Yuzu-kun: yours?

[04 / 29 08:19pm] Satoko: ‘To leap.’

-

[05 / 20 04:12am] Satoko: How did you do it?

[05 / 20 04:19am] Yuzu-kun: do what?

[05 / 20 04:30am] Yuzu-kun: satton?

[05 / 20 07:01am] Yuzu-kun: it’s not nice to drop cryptic messages then go to sleep

[05 / 20 11:20am] Satoko: Ah, sorry for making you worried. Please forget about it.

[05 / 20 08:01pm] Yuzu-kun: ok

[05 / 20 08:08pm] Satoko: ok?

[05 / 20 08:10pm] Satoko: just… ok?

[05 / 20 08:13pm] Yuzu-kun: if you dont wanna talk about it then i wont push

[05 / 20 08:20pm] Satoko: Oh.

[05 / 20 11:56pm] Satoko: Thank you.

-

[05 / 21 04:08am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

-

[05 / 22 02:57am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

_-_

[05 / 23 05:32am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

_-_

[05 / 24 04:10am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

_-_

[05 / 25 04:40am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[05 / 25 10:27am] Satoko: Yuzu-kun, you sure own a lot of Winnie the Pooh.

[05 / 25 10:47am] Yuzu-kun: do you like them?

[05 / 25 10:51am] Satoko: I suppose so. They’re very cute.

[05 / 25 10:53am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[05 / 25 10:53am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

[05 / 25 10:54am] _Yuzu-kun sent a picture._

-

[05 / 26 09:05pm] Satoko: Ballade no. 1?

[05 / 26 11:13pm] Yuzu-kun: yeah

[05 / 26 11:15pm] Yuzu-kun: I can do it different

[05 / 26 11:16pm] Yuzu-kun: better

[05 / 26 11:40pm] Satoko: Even so, when you skated to it

[05 / 26 11:41pm] Satoko: Does it feel like coming home?

-

[05 / 27 00:04am] Yuzu-kun: it does

-

[05 / 28 10:30pm] Satoko: Yuzu-kun, Makuhari is your first ice show since your foot injury, right?

[05 / 28 10:40pm] Yuzu-kun: Yeah.

[05 / 28 10:45pm] Satoko: And you’ve been skating your full layout?

[05 / 28 10:46pm] Satoko: With quads, on ice show rink under spotlights?

[05 / 28 10:50pm] Yuzu-kun: Yeah.

[05 / 28 10:52pm] Satoko: I see.

-

[05 / 29 00:12am] Yuzu-kun: it wasnt easy for me either

-

[05 / 30 01:16am] Satoko: But now you’ve broken the world record yet again.

[05 / 30 01:20am] Yuzu-kun: it wasnt “but now”

[05 / 30 01:24am] Yuzu-kun: “but now” doesnt tell you that I used to only jump three 1lo a day.

[05 / 30 01:25am] Yuzu-kun: or that I was terrified of toe loop

[05 / 30 01:26am] Yuzu-kun: easiest jump of all six

[05 / 30 01:29am] Yuzu-kun: the thought of 16 years of hard work erased by one bad landing

[05 / 30 01:30am] Yuzu-kun: it paralysed me

[05 / 30 05:46am] Yuzu-kun: I’m still scared too.

-

[05 / 31 10:03pm] Satoko: I will be performing at The Ice in July.

[05 / 31 10:05pm] Satoko: If everything goes according to plan, I should be able to debut a program there.

[05 / 31 10:08pm] Satoko: But my jumps

[05 / 31 10:09pm] Satoko: Every time I strike the toe pick, I can feel my bones rattling.

[05 / 31 10:12pm] Satoko: It’s too much.

-

[06 / 01 02:12am] Yuzu-kun: have I ever told you that I almost skipped this season

[06 / 01 02:17am] Satoko: You have not

[06 / 01 02:18am] Satoko: Really?

[06 / 01 02:20am] Yuzu-kun: yeah, just couldnt stay on my feet.

[06 / 01 02:22am] Yuzu-kun: was wishing everyday that I could grow wings instead

[06 / 01 02:24am] Satoko: How did you do it then? How did you come back soaring?

[06 / 01 02:25am] Yuzu-kun: why did you cut your hair

[06 / 01 02:26am] Satoko: ????

[06 / 01 02:27am] Yuzu-kun: just answer me

[06 / 01 02:30am] Satoko: To change the mood

[06 / 01 02:32am] Satoko: I was feeling...bad. I thought it might help.

[06 / 01 02:35am] Yuzu-kun: then you’re already on the right track. the truth is that there will be no wings. it’s all in the little things we do to make the climb bearable

[06 / 01 02:36am] Yuzu-kun: like squeezing your tissue box before taking center ice

[06 / 01 02:37am] Satoko: ･ᴗ･

[06 / 01 02:40am] Yuzu-kun: your next step should be to get a cute tissue box cover

[06 / 01 02:41am] Yuzu-kun: I’ll help!

[06 / 01 03:01am] Satoko: Thank you Yuzu-kun.

-

[06 / 16 10:04pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a video clip._

[06 / 16 10:06pm] Satoko: ?

[06 / 16 10:07pm] Yuzu-kun: sex bomb is SO MUCH BETTER from rink side than broadcast!!!

[06 / 16 10:09pm] Satoko: …

[06 / 16 10:10pm] Yuzu-kun: SO MUCH BETTER

-

[07 / 02 07:30pm] _Satoko sent a video clip._

[07 / 02 07:33pm] Satoko: I skated at Kansai University exhibition today.

[07 / 02 07:35pm] Satoko: Popped my lutz

[07 / 02 11:48pm] _Yuzu-kun sent a video clip._

[07 / 02 11:53pm] Satoko: (O∆O)

[07 / 02 11:53pm] Satoko: Did your fans really make a compilation of all your lutz falls??

[07 / 02 11:55pm] Yuzu-kun: no, just my lutz in general

[07 / 02 11:58pm] Yuzu-kun: but i’m glad you noticed that there are more of me landing on my butt than my feet

-

[07 / 03 09:28am] Satoko: I forgot to tell you yesterday. I also skated my last season free program’s stsq.

[07 / 03 09:30am] Satoko: It really did feel like coming home.

-

[07 / 04 00:12am] Yuzu-kun: will you be keeping your program then?

[07 / 04 00:23am] Satoko: I don’t think so.

[07 / 04 00:25am] Satoko: For the Olympics, I think I’d like more of ‘ _Wa_ ’ feeling.

[07 / 04 00:31am] Yuzu-kun: (´꒳`)

[07 / 04 00:32am] Yuzu-kun: i know what you mean.

[07 / 04 00:34am] Yuzu-kun: in a way, it is a bit like bringing home onto the ice

[07 / 04 00:40am] Satoko: ?

[07 / 04 00:41am] Satoko: Anyway, I’ll be flying to Toronto the day after tomorrow to meet my physical therapist.

[07 / 04 00:45am] Satoko: Would you like to meet up for an afternoon?

_Incoming call from Yuzu-kun._

-

[07 / 06 09:40pm] Yuzu-kun: my mom really loves the tarts. thx for the recommendation (･ω･)b

[07 / 06 09:45pm] Satoko: No problem at all. Please thank Yumi-san for her bento on my behalf.

[07 / 06 09:48pm] Satoko: Although, how is it that I know more about cafes in Toronto than Yuzu-kun?

[07 / 06 09:55pm] Yuzu-kun: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

-

[07 / 25 10:20am] Yuzu-kun: safe flight! have fun at the ice!!!

[07 / 25 10:23am] Yuzu-kun: remember to eat all the takoyaki ( ・・)つ-●●●

[07 / 25 10:30am] Satoko: Those look like dango.

[07 / 25 10:31am] Yuzu-kun: Takoyaki!!!! (   ゜Д゜)つ-●●●●●●●●●●

[07 / 25 10:34am] Satoko: Train hard Yuzu-kun.

-

[07 / 29 11:25pm] Yuzu-kun: YOUR SHORT PROGRAM LOOKED AMAZING

[07 / 29 11:27pm] Yuzu-kun: o(≧∇≦o)!!!!!!

[07 / 29 11:28pm] Yuzu-kun: AMAZING!!!!!!

-

[07 / 30 00:26am] Satoko: Thank you ｡^‿^｡

[07 / 30 00:28am] Satoko: I was so nervous. I’ve forgotten how difficult it is to jump under spotlight.

[07 / 30 00:29am] Satoko: I think I was only at 10% of my capability.

[07 / 30 00:32am] Yuzu-kun: all the better!

[07 / 30 02:47am] Satoko: Yuzu-kun.

[07 / 30 02:48am] Satoko: You cried at Fantasy on Ice, right?

[07 / 30 02:58am] Yuzu-kun: Waahhhh! Shoma spilled, didn’t he!

[07 / 30 03:00am] Satoko: It’s hardly a secret when you did it in front of hundreds of people.

[07 / 30 03:01am] Satoko: Yuzu-kun.

[07 / 30 03:05am] Satoko: I think I understand.

-

[08 / 08 09:20am] Satoko: Ahhhh

[08 / 08 09:21am] Satoko: I see what you mean now.

[08 / 08 09:22am] Satoko: ‘ _Wa_ ’ programs indeed.

[08 / 08 06:36pm] Yuzu-kun: (・ωｰ)～☆

-

[08 / 16 09:50pm] Satoko: Ton ton ton ton?

[08 / 16 11:58pm] Yuzu-kun: whats wrong w/ it?

[08 / 16 11:59pm] Satoko: Nothing.

-

[08 / 28 05:47pm] _Satoko sent a picture._

[08 / 28 05:50pm] Satoko: I found a turtle today!

[08 / 28 05:52pm] Satoko: Do you think this means good luck?

[08 / 28 09:21pm] Yuzu-kun: better luck than a raccoon

[08 / 28 09:41pm] Satoko: ????

[08 / 28 09:47pm] Yuzu-kun: i’ll tell you some other day

-

[09 / 06 10:30pm] Yuzu-kun: heard you withdrew from finlandia

[09 / 06 10:31pm] Yuzu-kun: are you alright??

[09 / 06 10:50pm] Satoko: I’m fine, Yuzu-kun. Thank you for your concern.

[09 / 06 10:52pm] Satoko: Just want to concentrate on Nationals.

[09 / 06 10:55pm] Satoko: More than anything else, I want to go to the Olympics.

[09 / 06 10:56pm] Satoko: So Nationals is where I must make my leap.

[09 / 06 11:01pm] Yuzu-kun: then let’s go together.

[09 / 06 11:02pm] Yuzu-kun: sayuri and seimei

[09 / 06 11:10pm] Satoko: (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑

-

[09 / 22 07:50am] Yuzu-kun: feels strange to let media know about your injuries

[09 / 22 07:51am] Yuzu-kun: hate this.

[09 / 22 08:21am] Satoko: I know. It’s quite bothersome.

[09 / 22 08:25am] Satoko: Regardless, I wish you the best of luck for your first competition.

[09 / 22 08:50am] Yuzu-kun: hopefully i’ll do well enough for a guts pose

[09 / 22 08:51am] Yuzu-kun: (۶•̀ᴗ•́)۶

[09 / 22 08:52am] Satoko: I hope so too! Fighto Yuzu-kun!

[09 / 22 08:53am] Yuzu-kun: Osu!!

**Author's Note:**

> For the uninitiated, Satoko Miyahara aka Satton aka Tiny Queen is the 2015 World silver medalist, two-time GPF silver medalist, 2016 4CC champion, and three-time and reigning Japanese national champion. She is known for her polished skating, delicate musicality, adorable guts pose, and being extremely tiny (152cm!).  
> 
> 
>   
>  [](http://78.media.tumblr.com/54ee393a6af50a6d6cab891a7727e74a/tumblr_inline_ohfynehjRn1qgt1yz_500.jpg)   
>    
> 
> 
>   
> Plot twist: this fic is secretly a Tiny Queen propaganda all along. Please check out her programs. Some of our favourites include [Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence](https://youtu.be/uC9g3DW0sj8), [Miss Saigon](https://youtu.be/uC9g3DW0sj8), [Firedance](https://youtu.be/EMYitZ_YGJA), and [The Planets](https://youtu.be/xLJp13toSI0). For this season, her SP is Memoirs of a Geisha (or as it is known in Japan, Sayuri) and her FS is Madame Butterfly. We'll have to wait for NHK Trophy to see her FS, but [her SP](https://youtu.be/4gi7DF-2_VA) is already the beta's favourite ladies program of the season.  
>   
> Because bad things happen to good people, Satoko sustained hip stress fracture some time around 2016 GPF and has not been competing since 2016 Japanese Nationals. There was quite a bit of noise about her withdrawal from the 2017 World Championships and Japan's subsequent loss of three Olympic spots for ladies, but it was totally JSF's fault and we want nothing more than for Satoko to recover and make it to Pyeongchang Olympics.  
> 
> 
>   
>  [](http://78.media.tumblr.com/19f66865a3c4f270fa757ab7592d253b/tumblr_ohisal82os1uh3g7co1_540.gif)   
>    
> 
> 
>   
> **Trivia:**  
>  \- She is coached by Mie Hamada and Yamato Tamura, and she always holds coach Hamada's hand while she waits for her score.  
> -Has highly questionable jump technique but only because she was forced to change the direction of her jumping from clockwise to counter-clockwise.  
> -But she can spin in both directions and pays attention to her hand movements. So we forgive her for everything.  
> -She loves pineapple and hates bananas.  
> -She has a blog! Translations can be found on this fanblog of her: [tinyqueensatoko.tumblr.com](http://tinyqueensatoko.tumblr.com)  
> -[On the blessed day of August 28, 2017, she rescued a turtle and all was right in the world](https://yukirin1408.tumblr.com/post/164696758018/satoko-miyaharas-blog-post-from-august-28-2017)  
> -Her interactions with Yuzuru are adorable always. [One time she called him Yuzu-kun and he was #shook.](http://tinyqueensatoko.tumblr.com/post/153739757158/satoko-miyahara-congratulates-yuzuru-hanyu-on)


End file.
